This document discusses white-tailed deer, including terms used to describe deer of different ages and sexes. It provides information on various habitats where deer can be found in Pennsylvania, including farmland, forests, suburban areas, and cities. Details are given on chronic wasting disease, including the first confirmed case in Pennsylvania. Sighting reports from September and November are included, with notes on temperature and number of deer observed. Pictures taken by trail cameras are also referenced.

1. White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
By Anthony Kessler

2. Whitetail deer terms
 Buck-Male deer
 Spike buck-two single horns and only a main beam that
doesn’t split
 Button buck- yearling with no horns
 Doe- female deer
 Fawn- Deer with spots acting as camouflage breakup
 Scrape- scratching on the ground to attract breeding
females; In my experience close to scrape is usually a
rub or a snapped twig
 Rub- territorial marking of a tree and also to remove
velvet

3. Buck in Velvet

4. Spike buck

5. Button buck: Pronounced knob's on forehead
where the horns would be at.

6. Doe with fawn

7. Rub

8. Old Scrape
Track found in
scrape

9. Bedding area for 2 doe seen in
later picture

10. Scat

11. Facts
 White-tailed deer grow up to 6ft to 7.75ft tall
 Lifespan of a captive deer 6 to 14 years
 Average lifespan of wild deer in Pennsylvania -3 ½ for a
buck yet they are scarce in heavily hunted areas and
doe is older
 Deer like a varying diet that is why they are called
browsers

12. Habitat of Pennsylvania
Farmland Forests
 Large quantity of varying  Most Favored habitat of a
food sources deer
 Edge habitat  Diet of acorns and wild
plants

13. Edge+ Farmland habitat: Close to cover and
access to food sources

14. Forest

15. Suburban City’s
 Land Broken up by small
parks and recreational areas
 Little to no cover to offer for
 Variety of flowering plants
deer
and trees for food source
 Low food
 Offer a lot of protection from
hunting which is why larger  Undesirable area for deer
bucks are found here but not
much area for hiding

16. Suburban

17. City/small town

18. CWD info and articles
 What is chronic wasting disease?

19. Pa. confirms 1st case of fatal deer disease
The Associated Press
Updated: 10/11/2012 09:47:30 PM EDT
HARRISBURG, Pa.—The state's first case of chronic wasting disease has been found at a central
Pennsylvania deer farm, and agriculture officials said Thursday they are working to prevent the
fatal illness from spreading among animals.
Officials have quarantined the property in New Oxford, Adams County, where a captive white-
tailed deer tested positive for the neurological disease. Farms in Williamsport, Lycoming County,
and Dover, York County, are also quarantined due to direct links to the infected deer. The
animal died last month, and its owner submitted the carcass for testing as part of
Pennsylvania's monitoring program for the illness, state veterinarian Craig Shultz told the
Evening Sun of Hanover. Pennsylvania is the 23rd state to have a confirmed case of chronic
wasting disease, which is deadly to deer, elk and moose, and can be spread among animals
through bodily fluids. There is no evidence the infection can be transmitted to humans,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The sickness has not been found in
the state's wild deer population, said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G.
Roe. "Concerns over (chronic wasting disease) should not prevent anyone from enjoying deer
hunting and consuming meat from healthy animals." Roe said in a statement. Still, Roe said
that hunters should shoot only healthy-looking animals, and take precautions like wearing
rubber gloves when field-dressing their deer and washing thoroughly when finished. Symptoms
of chronic wasting disease include weight loss, excessive salivation, increased drinking and
urination, and abnormal behavior like stumbling, trembling and depression. There is no cure or
vaccine. Public education and outreach efforts are being coordinated by a state task force that
includes representatives of the departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and
Health, as well as the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Pennsylvania has an aggressive chronic wasting disease surveillance program and a strong
response plan," state Agriculture Secretary George Greig said in a statement. Chronic wasting
disease was first discovered in Colorado captive mule deer in 1967. Pennsylvania has conducted
monitoring for the illness since 1998.
Online:
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us

23. Lyme disease

24. Sightings September
 September 7th, 2012 Temperature 50s clear and sunny
Location: Behind house from climbing tree stand about
30ft up. Time 6:30-7:30; 5 doe –one was yearling with
spots
 September 14th, 2012 Temp. 50-60s clear and sunny
Location: Behind house spooked as entering woods at
6:15 it was 4 doe; after that I went off to the barn to sit
at the brush edge and saw 2 yearlings and 2 doe enter
the field just before dark

25. November Sightings
 November 6th, 2012 Temp. 20 time 7:15 out of area
on Snyder lane farm; 1 doe
 Nov. 7th, 2012 time 6:15 Location: corn field parallel to
blueberry farm 4 doe along road eating corn
 Nov. 10th, 2012 temp. 50 PGC sent out CWD letter; 3 doe
at 6:15; 11 deer at 10:15; 3 more at 11:00
 Nov. 11th, 2012 clear sky temp. 39 3
doe at 5:15; 8 doe at 6:00 and 1 buck
 Nov 13th, 2012 clear sky temp 39
3 doe at 5:15 8 doe at 6:00 1 Buck not sure of size
 Nov 22nd, 2012 overcast sky with moon 14 deer total at
about 5:00
 Nov 23rd, 2012 cloudy sky 1 doe and one 6-12 pt buck
at 9:30 spotting

26. Sighting areas

28. 2 Whitetail doe

29. Alfalfa grass favored food source of
local deer

30. Apple trees seasonal food source

39. Funny thing with this picture
before I took it less than 20ft was
a bedded doe.

41. Trail camera pictures of Deer

42. Work Cited